1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wheel locks, and more particularly to a retractable wheel lock for a bicycle, motorcycle, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bicycle theft is a long-standing and serious problem for bicycle owners. The need for an effective theft deterrent has lead to the design of many different bicycle locks and locking systems. One of the most popular bicycle locks is a flexible cable looped at each end and secured with a padlock. The cable is usually snaked around part of the bicycle frame and sometimes through the front wheel and around a bicycle rack, lamppost or other fixed object. The cable is secured with a padlock through the end loops. Some cable locks use an in-line lock integral to the cable instead of the padlock with looped ends. While these types of cable locks are inexpensive and uncomplicated, they have several disadvantages, including the fact that because these cable locks are not tethered to the bicycle, they can be lost. Moreover, in traditional locking systems, the cables and locks must be stored apart from the bicycle, in a saddlebag or backpack for example, or wound around the bicycle frame. In either case, the cable and lock must be unpacked or unwound or both to lock the bicycle. Self-coiling cables present added difficulties in that it is often a struggle to unwind the cable from the frame, align the cable for threading through the frame and front wheel, around a bike rack and then lock the cable in place. Additionally, cable locks stored wound around the bicycle frame are generally not considered aesthetically pleasing.
Thus a retractably extensible locking system solving the aforementioned problems is desired.